Electric racebikes debut at AMA Vintage Days

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce that enthusiasts attending AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, America’s grandest celebration of motorcycle heritage, will get the first glimpse into motorcycling’s future this July 24-26 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, with a special presentation of the AMA eGrandPrix Introduction.

Showcasing the cutting-edge technology of electric road-race motorcycles alongside the grandeur of the country’s premier gathering of vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, the AMA eGrandPrix Introduction will feature new-breed zero-emission racebikes circulating at speed on the sinuous 2.4-mile Mid-Ohio track. The electric bikes will perform spirited exhibition laps during breaks in the vintage road-race program that will run as part of the AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships. The Introduction marks the first international gathering of high-tech electric road-race bikes in the U.S. in the 21st century.

"AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days is all about celebrating motorcycling’s gloried past," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "Yet, as the AMA celebrates its 85 years of two-wheeled history, we thought it only fitting to also offer a glimpse into what the next 85 years of motorcycling may bring. The AMA eGrand Prix Introduction showcases the sharpened point of the latest cutting-edge technology, and we’re excited for fans to see the future up close and personal."

The AMA eGrandPrix Introduction will showcase a number of teams, racers and machines taking part in the inaugural TTXGP eGrandPrix race on the Isle of Man in June. The bikes are sleek, all-electric machines with performance on par with many of today’s internal-combustion racebikes.

Azhar Hussain, founder of the eGrandPrix, said from his office in England: "The world’s first eGrandPrix will launch clean-emission motorcycle racing onto a global platform and demonstrate to the world that clean technologies have matured. AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days provides us with a fantastic opportunity to take our message directly to the United States, a nation with a passion for motorcycling."

Mission Motors is one team participating in the TTXGP that has agreed to take part in the AMA eGrandPrix Introduction.

Jeremy Cleland, team leader at Mission Motors said: "This is fantastic news and represents a great opportunity for the American public to experience zero-carbon motorcycle racing up close. I believe this event will be the perfect first pit stop for the TTXGP roadshow as it embarks on its global journey."

He added: "The U.S. right now is a hotbed of advancement in electric motorcycle technology with a number of companies, including ourselves, already taking innovation in this area to the next level."

Mission Motors, based in San Francisco, is the developer of the Mission One, which the company claims to be the fastest production electric bike. Mission Motors was founded by Forrest North, who first dreamed of building an electric motorcycle when leading the Solar Car Team at Stanford University. The dream stayed with him, even as he joined Tesla Motors to help engineer the company’s cutting-edge battery pack. Mission Motors’ mission is to build an electric motorcycle that can finally compete with gasoline-powered machines.